§ 55-1204 — Underground storage of natural gas; certificate of commission; notice and hearing; assessment of costs; disposition of moneys

(a) Any natural gas public utility desiring to exercise the right of eminent domain as to any property for use for underground storage of natural gas shall, as a condition precedent to the filing of its petition in the district court, obtain from the commission a certificate setting out findings of the commission:
(1) That the underground stratum or formation sought to be acquired is suitable for the underground storage of natural gas and that its use for such purposes is in the public interest; and
(2) the amount of recoverable oil and native gas, if any, remaining therein.
(b) The commission shall issue no such certificate until after public hearing is had on application and upon reasonable notice to interested parties in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. Subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 55-143, and amendments thereto, the applicant shall be assessed an amount equal to all or any part of the costs of such proceedings and the applicant shall pay the amount so assessed.
(c) All provisions of K.S.A. 66-106, 66-118a, 66-118b, 66-118c, 66-118d, 66-118e, 66-118j and 66-118k, and amendments thereto, shall be applicable to all proceedings of the commission under K.S.A. 55-1201 to 55-1206, inclusive, and amendments thereto.
(d) The state corporation commission shall remit all moneys received by or for it for costs assessed under this section to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the conservation fee fund created by K.S.A. 55-143, and amendments thereto.

Legislative History

L. 1951, ch. 268, § 4; L. 1978, ch. 211, § 9; L. 1986, ch. 202, § 6; L. 1988, ch. 356, § 173; L. 2001, ch. 5, § 199; July 1.